Gigabyte BRIX S BXi5H-5200 PC Kit Review
Gigabyte BRIX BXi5H-5200 Review
Today, we will be taking a look at the Gigabyte BRIX s GB-BXi5H-5200 kit that can be found online for $364.99 with free shipping. It comes with the Intel Core i5-5200U Dual-Core processor with Hyper-Threading. This processor was launched in early 2015, and is part of Intel’s 5th generation Core processors. It features a 15W TDP, 2.2Ghz speed, with a 2.7Ghz Turbo, Intel HD Graphics 5500 and will support up to 16GB of dual-channel DDR3L memory (1333, 1600, & 1966Mhz). This particular model of the BRIX s adds an 802.11ac Dual Band WiFi card that includes Bluetooth 4.0. If NFC is important to you, Gigabyte has included that as a feature of the BXi5H-5200 as well.
| Gigabyte BRIX S GB-BXi5H-5200 Specifications | |
| Dimension | 33.9mm x 107.6mm x 114.4mm (1.33in x 4.24in x 4.5in) |
| Motherboard Size | 100 x 105mm |
| CPU | 5th Generation Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2GHz / 2.7GHz |
| Memory | 2 x SO-DIMM DDR3L 1.35V 1333/1600/1866 (OC)MHz Max: 16GB |
| LAN | Gigabit LAN – Realtek RTL8111G |
| Audio | Realtek ALC283 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 5500 |
| HDMI Resolution | 4096 x 2304 @ 24Hz |
| Mini DP Resolution | 3840×2160 @ 60Hz |
| Expansion Slots | 1x mSATA Slot1x PCIe M.2 NGFF 2230 A-E key slot occupied by the WiFi+BT card |
| Front I/O | 2x USB 3.01x headphone jack with MIC |
| Rear I/O | 1x HDM; I1x Mini DisplayPort; 2x USB 3.0; 1x RJ45; 1x DC-In; 1x Kensington Lock Slot |
| Power Supply | Input: AC 100-240VOutput: DC 19V3.42A |
| VESA | Bracket Included – Supports 75x75mm and 100x100mm |
| WiFi Card | 802.11ac, Dual Band & BT 4.0 |
| NFC | Yes |
| Storage | 1x mSATA SSD slot support |
| Supported OS | Win 7 32/64bitWin 8.1 64bit |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
The Gigabyte BRIX s follows the standards developed by Intel with the NUC, keeping it small, efficient and powerful for a tiny system. Externally, the BRIX measures 1.3in x 4.24in x 4.5in where the latest Intel NUC (NUC5i5RYH) measures 1.9in x 4.37in x 4.5in; so the Gigabyte BRIX s is slightly smaller.
If you are unfamiliar with the Gigabyte BRIX s, the front of the box won’t tell you too much about it. It features a small overview picture of the top of the BRIX s and two of the features. Not a big deal as most of us will probably be ordering this online rather than finding it in a retail setting.
While the front of the box doesn’t tell you much about the BRIX s kit, the back of the box gives you a good idea of what the compact PC kit offers, by pointing out the various I/O ports on the front and back of the case, VESA compatibility and the internal expansion options.
In addition to the BRIX s, Gigabyte has included an accessory pack that includes an AC power adapter, VESA mounting plate, instructions, screws and a driver disc.
Overall the chassis is made out of aluminum, that has been painted black, while the top of cover is plastic. The front of the BRIX s includes two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, and a single headphone/microphone jack. Along both sides, are air vents to help keep the unit cool.
As I said, the top of the BRIX is plastic, and has a mirror finish on it. Gigabyte has placed their name in one of the corners, with the power/activity button in the opposite corner.
Turning our attention to the back I/O panel, we find a Kensington cable lock to help prevent it from being stolen, the DC power plug, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, and two more SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports. Above the rear I/O ports is another exhaust port to help remove hot air from the inside.
Nothing too exciting on the bottom panel, a large label that indicated the serial number, other identification numbers and it’s certifications. There are four Philips screws located inside the rubber feet that can be removed to access the internal components.
As the Gigabyte BRIX s is a barebones DIY kit, you have to add a few components to get it up and running. First you’ll want some storage, this can be in the form of a 2.5″ drive or mSATA; we opted to install a Corsair Force LX 256GB SSD. Then you’ll have to install some DDR3L memory, the BRIX supports up to 16GB of either 1333MHz or 1600MHz DDR3L memory, or if you overclock the memory, up to 1866MHz.
Let’s take a look inside the BRIX before we get to finishing the build and installing the operating system.